It's Not Charity, Herr Forehead!
by Kereea
Summary: Apollo has issues accepting what he deems "charity" for some reason. When Klavier accidentally sets him off, the prosecutor realizes he needs to get to the bottom of it if he ever wants to ask Herr Forehead out.


A/N: Fill for the AA kink meme with the prompt: _Apollo has a lot of hang ups about accepting what he deems 'Charity' from people. He doesn't like to feel like he owes anybody anything. This is due to Kristoph's influence, who would make subtle remarks about how Apollo ought to be grateful for all Kristoph was doing for him and other similar things. Que Klavier doing something like trying to treat him to a meal or pay for a taxi and Apollo getting irritated and defensive about it..._

Enjoy and review!

.o.o.o.

"Herr Wright, I need your advice."

"What is it, Klavier?" Phoenix asked, nudging aside the files he'd been sort-of working on. If the rock star had actually come to talk to him when all the young prosecutor usually did was avoid him like the plague out of misplaced guilt…well it had to be serious.

Klavier looked nervous just standing in front of him, really. He might need to get Athena to look at that. The blonde mumbled something.

"Um…Apollo's mad at you and you don't know why?" Phoenix attempted a translate.

"Ja!" Klavier said, putting a hand to his head. "I just…I don't get it, he started accusing me of…I don't even know what!"

"Well, let's look for some evidence, then," Phoenix said, ignoring the did-you-just-say-that look Klavier was giving him. "What happened?"

"We were just at a coffee shop to talk about some of the new rules that had been passed for trials-"

.o.o.o.

"_Ah, Herr Forehead, you are late!" Klavier teased._

_ "Ha ha, look my bike lock was acting up and…wow, you've had time for two cups of coffee?" Apollo asked._

_ "Nien. I know what you order here, so I got yours so you wouldn't have to wait!" Klavier was quite proud of himself for managing to do something date-like without having to confront his feeling about Apollo. Knowing the brunette he'd scare him off. _

_ "Oh, here, let me pay you back then," Apollo said as he sat down._

_ "It's one coffee, Apollo," Klavier shrugged. "I can pay that."_

_ "I'd _really_ rather pay you back."_

_ "Too bad, I'm not letting you!" Klavier laughed, only to pause at the look on Apollo's face. "Ach….are you okay?"_

_ "I'm fine!"_

.o.o.o.

"So…he got nervous over coffee?" Phoenix asked. "I know he's picky about it, are you sure you ordered the right kind?"

"Ja, I'm sure, he always orders the same thing and the orders are too loud to miss," Klavier said. "Anyway, I wasn't done yet, Herr Wright."

.o.o.o.

_"You've got to be kidding," Apollo huffed as the rain beat down outside. _

_ "We could wait it out?" Klavier suggested, pulling out his phone. "…Or not. This is supposed to go until dinner."_

_ "Great. Look, Klavier, I don't have enough for a full taxi, but I could pay-"_

_ "I'll pay. It's just a taxi," Klavier said. _

_ "I'll pay what I can," Apollo said. _

_ "It's a taxi. I have enough to get us both home just fine," Klavier shrugged. "You can pay me back with your company, maybe dinner tomorrow?"_

_ "I really want to pay, okay?" Apollo snapped._

_ "What's gotten into you?" Klavier asked, confused. "Hey! Herr Forehead! Apollo, are you crazy!"_

.o.o.o.

"So he went out in the rain? Just like that?" Phoenix asked.

"Ja. I tried to follow him but he grabbed his bike and I forgot my hog because I was worried and…anyway, I tried calling and Herr Forehead's not answering and what did I do?" Klavier whined.

"Sounds like he really wanted to go Dutch," Phoenix said.

"Ja but he always wants to and I just wanted to be nice a treat him," Klavier said.

"Because you like him."

"Ja, because I—I hate you," Klavier said, glaring at Phoenix. "It is a dirty trick to take advantage of someone's distress like that, Herr Wright."

"Look, Apollo…he gets iffy about being given things," Phoenix said, shrugging off the indignation being glared at him. "Once I found out he was worried about his rent enough to be taking odd jobs at all hours and offered to let him stay in the guest room for a few months…he about had a heart attack."

"But why?" Klavier asked. "He's so cute you'd think people would want to give him things frequently anyway!"

"Okay, just because I know about your crush does not mean I want to hear you talk about my kid like that," Phoenix said. "My…sort-of kid. You know what I mean."

"Ja," Klavier agreed. "So…what do I do? He's not answering my calls! I'm trying to at least apologize or something but-"

"Here's his address," Phoenix said, scrawling it out on a note card. "Just knock, don't say who it is, kid never remembers the peep hole, and when he opens the door, put your foot in it."

.o.o.o.

That was arguably one of the more painful things Klavier had ever done.

"Great, now I'm mad at you _and_ you're an idiot," Apollo huffed, tossing him a bag of ice.

"How was I to know you'd try so hard to get me out?" Klavier sulked. "And why are you mad?"

"You wouldn't get it," Apollo huffed.

"Try me. I'm not going anywhere until I think I can walk," Klavier said, icing his poor, abused foot. Apollo had slammed the door into a solid leather boot and it still hurt like someone had dropped a cinderblock on it…

"I really, really don't like it when you guys just decide to give me charity, okay?"

"Was? What charity?" Klavier asked. "I bought you a coffee and offered to pay for a taxi-"

"I could have paid you back for the coffee!" Apollo protested. "And paid part of the taxi!"

"You didn't have to," Klavier said. "We're friends, right?" It was so painful to friendzone himself like that but he was not scaring Apollo off right now.

"I'm really not comfortable with not paying my fair share," Apollo said.

"I told you, I consider your company perfectly acceptable payment," Klavier reiterated.

"I don't want to owe you-"

"You wouldn't. Herr Forehead, do I look like the sort to run up bills for my friends?" Klavier asked. "You're not making any…why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing I'm fine!" Apollo huffed.

"Herr Forehead…Apollo," Klavier tried. "You really don't look fine…"

"I don't want to owe you-"

"Objection! You already said that," Klavier said.

"-or feel like I owe you!" Apollo snapped back.

"Do you…really dislike me so much?" Klavier asked. He'd thought they'd at least been friends.

"I don't want to owe anyone, okay? Or feel like I do," Apollo said.

"Why?"

"It's none of your-"

"It is my business and nothing you say will convince me otherwise, are we clear, Herr Justice?" Klavier asked, grabbing Apollo by the arm and yanking him down next to him on the couch.

"Why do you care?"

"Because…you…I…ich liebe dich," Klavier fumbled, praying Apollo didn't understand that phrase.

Going by the deer-in-the-headlight look he was getting…not so much luck.

"Look, Apollo, I'm sorry, I just…I really…I'm sorry," Klavier said. "I know you probably don't-"

"He said that too."

"What? Who?" Klavier asked. Apollo knew other people who accidentally confessed in German?

"He said he loved me but there was always a but…some reason I should be thankful he was being all nice and…"

"I don't get it," Klavier said. How could anyone put a caveat on loving someone like Apollo?

"Like, 'I love you Justice, but you're really too loud' or 'you're lucky I love you even though you never manage your share' or-"

"Share? You mean…this person was paying for all the dates or whatever?" Klavier asked.

"Yeah," Apollo said. "And I know it was a messed up relationship like how he always made me feel like I should be so lucky to have any of his time at all and he was the only one who'd look at me anyway and-"

Klavier's blood ran cold. That sounded far too much like someone he knew. "You're talking about Kristoph."

Apollo stared at him, "How'd you-?"

"Is it so hard to believe he'd treat a sibling the same way?" Klavier asked. "Gott, especially when I was taking guitar lessons. 'You're lucky I'm willing to drive you.' 'You're lucky I'm paying for this, I'd rather pay for you to go to law school.' 'How do I know you're really studying law when all I hear is that racket, really?' and so on." He glanced at Apollo. "Knowing how he could get…dating him must have been a lot worse."

"In hindsight, yeah. But when you're in the relationship and you actually think the person loves you…god I thought he loved me…" Apollo muttered.

"Well…I may be biased, but I cannot see how anyone could fail to love you, Herr Justice," Klavier said. "Even if it was incredibly messed up love, I can see even the devil that was my brother falling for your charms."

"What charms? I'm loud, I'm short, I'm easily panicked, I'm impulsive-"

"You're adorable, you care deeply for others, you are committed to the truth, you are highly intelligent and studious," Klavier listed back. "And some of us like your loudness, Herr Justice."

"…What's with calling me that all the sudden?" Apollo asked.

"I thought maybe you'd like some distance…you know…with…I'm sorry if I made you feel awkward," Klavier said.

"Wrong way about it. He…_Kristoph_ always used my last name. I like that you usually don't," Apollo said. "Even if it's a joke about how I look."

"Is it still a joke if I adore that feature anyway?" Klavier asked.

"Okay, I know you're a rock star and all but could you…not…come on so strong?" Apollo asked.

"My apologies, Herr Forehead," Klavier said.

"I just…can we take this slowly?"

"This?" Klavier asked.

"I like you…a lot," Apollo said. "But again my last relationship was…yeah. Can we take it slow?"

"As slow as you want, liebe," Klavier said, hugging him. "As slow as you want…should I warn you before dates, or something? You know, so you can pay half?"

"I might let you pay now and then…just don't make a habit out of it," Apollo said. "I want this to be a relationship that's equal, you know?"

"Well, then I have a lot of work to do in order to be equal to you, Apollo," Klavier said seriously.

"I don't care what your fans think, Gavin. You're a giant dork."

"But you're still willing to go out with me, right?"

"…Right," Apollo laughed, leaning against Klavier. "Right."


End file.
